Statewide event to address autistic children and schools

ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Treasure Coast families want their voices heard about what has happened to their autistic children in schools. But they're concerned even the state attorney general can't help them.

Since the Attorney General Office's initial investigation into the case of 5-year-old Alex Barton, the Port St. Lucie autistic boy voted out of kindergarten, several families have come forward with other complaints, press secretary Sandi Copes said in July. The office started looking at how autistic children are treated in schools and planned a statewide meeting with families.

But now the statewide meeting will take place later this month in conjunction with another group, The 100 Ideas Foundation.

Parent Anna Moore, considering legal action against the St. Lucie County School District because of how she says her autistic son was treated, plans to attend the Sept. 15 to 16 meeting in Orlando. But she said she is concerned because the office continues to say it has no authority over schools.

Copes has said the initial meeting would be a chance for families to speak out. The 100 Ideas Foundation statewide discussion on autism and developmental disabilities is expected to draw many participants and have a broad reach, she said.

"According to the organizers of the event, Floridians are invited to come together in an informal discussion that will provide parents, advocates, elected officials and decision makers an opportunity to provide input and opinions on issues relating to autism and the developmentally disabled community," she said.

Copes said Thursday that the office is working with Alex's mother, Melissa Barton, to provide materials from the meeting to parents who cannot attend.

Barton said she has not coordinated a time yet on when to attend the meeting.

Moore said she can't attend both days. The event isn't quite the meeting she was expecting, but she doesn't want to miss it, she said.